Would the Rolex Datejust be a good first high-end watch?

The Datejust is a sort of an iconic timepiece

Hello! This is my first article on this platform, so I would like to introduce myself to let you know who is writing.

If you do not know me (and I bet lots of you won’t) I am a writer and expert about watches since long. I have published a book about horology, The Watch Manual, and I am pretty well-known on some other famous QnA portals. Well, I just wanted to start publishing also here on Medium — and hope you will enjoy the value I am trying to bring on the table.

So, let’s return to the issue at hand. The Rolex Datejust is a classic in horology, and more or less, one of the oldest watches still in production from its introduction in the 1920s as the Oyster.

Is it still relevant?

Let me tell you what: on my humble opinion, it would be a perfect starting piece, even if there are much better alternatives.

I am grossly oversimplifying here, but in a nutshell, there are some very good points about the Datejust, and also, some less-than-ideal points as well.
For the good points about the Datejust:

1. It is a Rolex, so everyone knows it is a high-end watch;
2. It is a classic — one of the longest-manufactured models of the Maison, and it won’t ever go out of style, because it is sort of eternal, perfectly balanced between the sporty aspect and the dressy one;
3. It is out of the current limelight, as far as Rolex watches go — this means that it is possible to get it without having to wait for ages if you want to buy it;
4. The movement powering it is tried and true, honed almost to perfection, so you would expect some excellent reliability during the years;
5. The materials and finishings are industrially top notch, as it is customary with Rolex;
6. It retains its value quite well during the years, even not being in the same league as other famous models.

The Rolex Datejust movement: perfectly done, but “meh”

The bad points are the following instead:

1. The watch is a sort of jack-of-all-trades: good for everything, perfect for none. If you are planning to buy other timepieces in time, maybe you should consider to focus more on different aspects and characteristics;
2. It is far less distinctive than a Submariner or a GMT Master, so it gets you a bit less “social status” — if you want to buy it for this only reason;
3. It is lagging in horological quality vs. its price. Do not get me wrong: the movement is simply perfect for what it does, and it does very well — but there is little bells and whistles in it, which you would instead be getting from other competitors in the same price bracket;
4. It is hugely overpriced as a watch if you compare it with other alternatives. The price you pay indeed gives you a lot of features and qualities, but this is what — love it or leave it.

So, if you ask me, would you buy one? My answer would be a diplomatic “Yes, but…”

You won’t be wrong buying a Datejust, ever, especially since it is like buying a gold ingot: if you tire of it, you could resell it quite quickly, and without experiencing the huge losses that would incur with watches from other famous Maisons. And this great flexibility you are going to experience is for sure a huge bonus, especially for the laziest among you.

I am not too keen on the cyclops lens, nor the heavily ribbed bezel: but this is just me and my personal quibbles about it (and often, Rolex partisans accuse me of being too critical with the Maison — be forewarned).

So, my advice is to assess rationally your situation and your needs, and then decide, asking yourself for what you’d be wearing it. In which occasions. And then make up your mind. You’d get very solid quality and value retention — and you’d possibly manage to pick one at a very good price in the COVID buyer’s market of today.